Karen C. Whalen is the author of the Dinner Club Murder Mystery series. She worked for many years as a paralegal at a law firm in Denver, Colorado. Karen has been a columnist and regular contributor to The National Paralegal Reporter magazine. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and participates in a local writing group, the Louisville Writers Workshop. In addition to hosting dinner club events (although, murder was not involved), Karen loves to hike and bike ride under the robin-egg blue skies of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Her books are similar to those written by authors Jessica Beck, Joanne Fluke, and Leslie Meier. Fans of mysteries centering around food – donuts, cakes, cookies, coffee shops, bakeries, and gourmet cuisine – and a western setting in Denver, Colorado

Click to check out an interview and learn more about cozy mysteries and where she gets the recipes for her books…

A personal note:

Like Jane Marsh, I read my devotional – the Bible. From a child raised Catholic, I understood that God created the earth, that God is holy, and that God sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross, but I did not understand the next step, a personal relationship with the God of the universe.

When I was in high school walking home from a friend’s house, a car pulled over to the curb and a woman jumped out to speak with me. Now, many teenagers would be put off by a stranger talking to them on the street, but I knew somehow that she was kind and not threatening. I lived in a small town at a time when strangers nodded, smiled, and greeted each other on the street, unlike today. She asked me if I knew the 4 spiritual laws, which are: (1) God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life, but (2) people are sinful and separated from God. (3) Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for man’s sin, and (4) we must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord so we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives. Then, she asked me if I wanted to accept Christ, and I said I couldn’t honestly pray the prayer of acceptance if I didn’t mean it, so I declined.

When I was a freshman in college, and again when I was a sophomore at a different college, two separate students, both strangers, asked me to go over the 4 spiritual laws with them. I did both times, not admitting I’d already heard of them! Both times my response was the same: I could not pray that prayer unless I really meant it, so I declined.

But there is no rule with God that you are out after 3 strikes…

The last student, Margie, asked me if I wanted to study the Bible with her. And to that I did say yes, and I’m glad I did. Margie became my friend and patiently answered my questions. I accepted Christ at the end of my sophomore year in college, for which I will forever be grateful.

I named my protagonist after Margie, whose full name is Marjorie Jane.

God never gave up on me…he sent three perfect strangers to help me find Him, because He loves me and was calling me home.

The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:11-12